(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a trigger sprayer that discharges liquid in either a spray or foaming pattern. The trigger sprayer is constructed with a removable foamer insert that may be removed to allow the sprayer to dispense liquid only in the spray pattern or may be inserted to allow the sprayer to dispense liquid only in the foaming pattern. In addition, the foamer insert is specifically designed to generate a more even distribution of foam in the foaming pattern.
(2) Description of the Related Art
There are many various different types of manually operated trigger sprayers that are capable of generating foam from a spray of liquid dispensed from the sprayers. Many of these prior art trigger sprayers are dedicated foaming trigger sprayers, meaning that they can only dispense liquid in a foaming pattern. These sprayers usually have a permanent part of their assembly downstream from the liquid spray discharge of the sprayer that creates a turbulence in the spray discharge mixing air with the spray and generating a foam. Dedicated foamer trigger sprayers are often provided with a hinged door or other type of closure that enables an adjustment of the sprayer between on and off conditions, however the on condition always generates foam in the liquid spray dispensed from the trigger sprayer.
Many types of prior art trigger sprayers are not dedicated foamer sprayers. These may be trigger sprayers that are adjustable between spray and foaming conditions of the trigger sprayer. In the spray condition the liquid dispensed from the trigger sprayer is dispensed in a spray pattern. In the foam condition, the liquid dispensed from the sprayer is mixed with air to generate a foaming discharge from the trigger sprayer. Sprayers of this type are constructed with specific component parts that enable the adjustment between the spray and foaming condition of the sprayer discharge. In addition, some are provided with still further component parts in their specific constructions that enable adjustment between on and off conditions of the sprayer, and in the on condition enables further adjustment between a spray or foaming pattern of liquid discharged from the sprayer.
The prior art trigger sprayers that enable an adjustment between a spray and a foam pattern of liquid discharge from the sprayer have become very popular among consumers. The ability to adjust the pattern of liquid discharged between a spray pattern and a foaming pattern gives these sprayers an advantage over dedicated foaming trigger sprayers or dedicated spraying trigger sprayers. However, because there is more involved in their construction, a typical trigger sprayer that is adjustable between a spray and a foaming pattern of liquid discharge is more expensive to manufacture than a dedicated spray or foaming trigger sprayer. In addition, because many prior art trigger sprayers that dispense liquid in a spray and foaming pattern create a turbulence in the liquid spray discharge to generate a foam, the foam pattern of liquid discharge often has the same conical configuration as the spray pattern of liquid discharge. When it is desirable to cover a certain area with a foam from a trigger sprayer, often the pattern of foam dispensed from the trigger sprayer will be in an annular or ring configuration due to the conical pattern of spray discharged from the trigger sprayer from which the foam is generated.
Disadvantages of prior art foaming trigger sprayers could be overcome with an inexpensively constructed trigger sprayer that can be easily switched between a foaming or spraying trigger sprayer and which, when functioning as a foaming trigger sprayer, dispenses a more even distribution pattern of foam and not a ring of foam as often done in the prior art.